Rosie the riveter as CalPERS

This was a cover illustration I did this past Summer for Directorship Magazine. The concept was to show the strength in numbers with proxy statements of a very large California retirement System known as CalPERS. So they had the initial idea of using the well known image of Rosie the Riveter by illustrator J. Howard Miller's "We Can Do It!" - Many women first found economic strength in World War II-era manufacturing jobs.

So my idea was to show a similar image but with the proxies in her fisted hand. Which appropriately covered her face so that showed very little identity with a particular person or race. She needed to represent every person.



My intern at the time was gracious enough to pose for the reference shots and she did surprisingly well. The painting was done 90% as an acrylic painting. The type and logo was added in Photoshop.

They loved it show much for the cover they asked for 2 giclée prints of it to give as gifts to the leaders of CalPERS.

In the last month I did these two illustrations for the same client. The first one is typical of my style and what people usually contract me to do. They were very happy with the end result and so they wanted me to do another with the same on time and on budget customer service, but in a different style. The comic book hero one was something very different for me. I have had a true appreciation for comic book artists', but even more so now.

Credit Score Confusion for Mortgage Technology Magazine.

Mortgage Protector for Broker Magazine.

Ben Folds portriat

Acrylic painting demo I did for my class. I love his piano style and lyrics.

Smoker's Choice

Another demo I did for my class. Conceptual landscape watercolor illustrating 1 of four words. I chose the word choice in dealing with the choice of quitting to smoke is a personal decision that know one can make for you. So my idea is to show a super close up of a ugly ashtray. On a cigarette stands a teen on the tip of a cig like he “walking the plank” to his doom. He has made the choice to walk away. Outside on the ground is himself there to help him get through it because in the end it’s your choice and yourself that gets you through it. I am imagining what this might be like not from personal standpoint with smoking, but from other life challenges being strictly a personal decision and no one else’s.

Art Fairy - Hidden Pictures

This was a ink drawing I did mid in September 2007 as a demo for my Materials & Techniques I class. I was also influenced by my 6 year old daughter who loves art and fairies. So I decided to do double duty and created a picture for her to color and hang in her bedroom as well as find the art objects in the scene. I might even submit it to Highlights for publication. See if you can find all the art supplies.



Here is a terribly low res video of my process.


If you would like a printable version for your child to do just drop my an email and I'll email you a PDF to print.

Wall of Outstanding Alumni Award

I got this email earlier this summer about receiving an award from my undergraduate college, LaGrange College. I was to be included on the wall of outstanding alumni. I had never heard of the wall and I did not think it was that big of a deal. When the college then sent me a packet of stuff to fill out and addresses to send out invitations to friends and family, they needed a specific kind of black and white photo, and shared the details of the ceremony I realized it was a big deal. This past Saturday my family and got it together and drove down to LaGrange to receive the award during the homecoming celebration. My Mom and Dad drove 8 hours round-trip just for a 4 hour visit in Lagrange, I'm truly loved! Here are some highlights in pictures.


President Stuart Gulley presenting to me the award of outstanding Alumni. Five others got the same award. President Gulley said I was one the the youngest recipients ever.

This is the framed print I received.


On the back they put the oratory that they read during the ceremony. I'm truly honored!!


I took the photo myself and got Cindi to help pick the right one out of about 40. I then printed it in my studio I mailed it off.


I owe a huge debt of gratitude and moolah to my Mom and Dad. My Mom went back to work to help pay for most if not all of my college experience and my Dad managed the money. This award would not be possible without them and a whole bunch of prayers. Thank you soo much Mom and Dad!!


My grandmother drove for about 3 hours by herself down to LaGrange just for the ceremony. This wall plaque is in Smith Hall, the oldest building on campus.

22 Q&A interview

I get asked almost 2-3 times a month these days for an interview from an illustration or design student. I recently filled out a 22 question email interview and thought I would share it here.

1. Where are you from? The surrounding suburbs of Atlanta, GA.
2. How long have you done illustration for? All my life, but professionally for 12+ years.
3. How did you find out that illustration was something you wanted to pursue? After I graduated from LaGrange College with a BA in Drawing a Painting and Graphic Design I did not really know how to go about making a living as a freelance illustrator until I went to Portfolio Center (PC) in 1992 and saw all the illustration sourcebooks and trade magazine and talked with my professors. I wanted to do art but I thought gallery work was too unstable and I did not mind illustrating other peoples ideas so Illustration was more stable and appealing to me. Some would say I “sold out” by going into commercial art, but everyone got to make a living and I make a living doing what I love.
4. What was your first job as an illustrator? I had small rinky dink jobs in high school and college, but my first big break as an educated illustrator came while I was in my 5th of 8 quarters at PC. A teacher at PC who taught advertising by the name of Mike Weed of Henderson Advertising saw an illustration I did on the walls of PC that won best of show and thought I could take on an two illustrations he needed for Flowers Bread Company. They were two billboard illustrations. http://www.jaymontgomery.com/portnaturesown.html I did them for a total of $2500 (I think), so I was thrilled and that job and illustrations lead to so many other freelance opportunities.
5. What college did you attend? LaGrange College and Portfolio Center
6. What illustration did you enjoy doing the most? The ones with the most freedom and money of course. Editorial jobs have a little of both.
7. Which project are you most proud of? I guess the one that I got the most money for which was $13,600 for a Roadway illustration. This is not a normal pricing that most illustrators expect, but it sure is nice.
8. Did you ever have any doubts about being an illustrator? Of course, but I really did not know what else made me happy and challenged so I stuck it out through the tough times. The head of the illustration department at PC told me that I would not make it as an illustrator, which definitely gave me doubts, but I wanted to turn that negative comment into a positive and prove him wrong. I think I did. Also, I had doubts right after 9/11 when I had a 2 year old and a baby and I was the sole income provider doing full-time freelance. Man that was tough!
9. Is this a job you would consider to be very time consuming? Is it hard balancing a family and a job as an illustrator? Absolutely! If you want to be your own boss in any market it will take more time than a full-time cubicle job, mainly because your are every part of the business; customer service, marketer, creator, president, maid, accounts payable, purchaser, manager, etc.
10. How did you go about selling your ideas to a client? Most of the time a basic idea is already formed by a doodle, text or verbal description before the client even contacts me. If they want me to come up with an idea, I’m more than happy to do that by talking with them and getting all the pertinent info, then I do 3-4 inch numbered thumbnails sometimes with a text description beside them. I do anywhere from 2-6 different ideas I send this to them usually via email attachment. Then I get feedback and go tighter.
11. Do you do anything else besides illustration? What are some hobbies that you enjoy doing? With freelance illustration, teaching 3 illustration classes, my family time with my 5-6 year olds, cleaning, eating, taking care of my house and getting an average of 6 hours of sleep 7 days a week there is little time for hobbies. Art IS my hobby I would create art even if I won the lottery.
12. Owning your own business, do you suggest people going into the graphic design field to also pursue a business degree? Or does it just come to you? Is does not just come to you. There is a right and wrong way of doing things and you could go years of doing business tasks a certain way that could be done way more efficient and right if you had at least taken some sort of business class. I business degree might be too much for an illustrator, I would at least take a very concentrated business class or to while still in college. If you want to start your own design firm a business degree would definitely be worth while.
13. Who is your inspiration? Did your parents always approve of your career choice? Actually, early on my older brother was the start of my inspiration by wanting to finally be better than him at just one thing. My parents from the get go always supported me and encouraged me to follow my dreams even though they did not understand completely what my passion was all about. They are not visual artist’s but they can appreciate what I do.
14. What is something you would suggest to a graphic designer graduating straight from college? Build up a network of other graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, writers, etc. of who you can call upon for advice, work, and general support. These maybe other students in you classes or contacts outside of class. You can also do this by joining a trade org like GAG or AIGA.
15. How many illustrations do you do a year? It varies between 50-80 a year. I also do a fair amount of graphic design, production work, and stock art sales.
16. How long does it take to illustrate something for a top client? As quick as 3 days and as longs as 1 month. Most of the time it’s about 2 weeks.
17. What is a subject you enjoy illustrating the most just for fun? Posters for bands, musicians, and lately I have been wanting to do a painting of an octopus lady.
18. Have you accomplished everything you have ever wanted to do? If not, what are some goals you want to accomplish? Absolutely not, I’m always striving for more. I Strive to get 3 $10K jobs a year. Has not happened yet, but I’m thinking long term. I would like to teach full-time a get descent health insurance for me and my family.
19. Do you have any regrets? I wish I would have gotten my Masters in Fine Art or Illustration.
20. What medium do you use the most? Photoshop, Illustrator and Painter. I’m getting back to the traditional stuff from the classes I teach at SCAD.
21. What theme occurs the most in your work? Usually some sort of business concept that’s politically correct. Mainly due to the client’s needs.
22. How would you describe your style of work? Stylized realism or Tradigital.


Thanks for reading,
Jay